Salary Guide Survey 2026

Thank you for participating in our 2026 survey of the Australian Technology and Engineering Community. Your answers will be anonymously collated with all other participants to inform our insights in our Salary Guide 2026-27.

As a thank you for your time, you’ll receive exclusive access to our Salary Guide before it is made public.

If you fill out the survey by Thursday 18 June 2026 11:59pm AEDT, you’ll also go into the running to win:

One of 4 tickets to the Hunter iF Innovator Lunches (choice between the Friday 26 June 2026 event and the Friday 31 July 2026 event)
One of 2 tickets to the Hunter Innovation Festival held on Tuesday 13 October 2026
One of 2 NTP branded t-shirts or hoodie in the size of your choosing

Open from Thursday 4 June 2026 until 11:59pm AEDT Thursday 18 June 2026. T&Cs apply. The promotion is a game of chance. Skill plays no part in determining the winner.

Your privacy is important to us. The results of this survey will be collated anonymously to inform insights and benchmarking in our Salary Guide 26-27. The email address you provide us will be exclusively used to send you an early-access copy of the salary guide. For more information on how we store and use data, please head to our Privacy Policy.

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Survey choice

Complete our Technology Survey

Complete our Engineering Survey

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Your info & role (TECH OR ENG)

Your info & role

Your email address (optional)

So we can email you with early access to our Salary Guide 2026–2027.

What is your location*

Newcastle or Regional

Sydney

Melbourne

Other

What region are you in?*

Are you a hiring manager for your company?*

Yes

Are you currently employed in a technology role?*

Yes

No, I’m looking for a position

No, I’ve moved out of technology

No, I’m taking a break from the workforce

Are you currently employed in engineering role?*

Yes

No, I’m looking for a position

No, I’ve moved out of engineering

No, I’m taking a break from the workforce

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Currently employed (HIRING MGR OR EMPLOYEE TECH OR ENG)

What is your role title?*

How many staff are in your organisation?*

0-10

11-50

51-500

501+

What industry is your company a part of?*

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Currently looking for a position (NOT HIRING MGR AND LOOKING FOR POSITION IN TECH OR ENG)

Currently looking for a position

How long have you been looking for a new role?*

Less than a month

Between 1 and 3 months

Between 3 and 6 months

Longer than 6 months

What level of role are you looking for?*

Select all that apply.

Entry level

Mid

Senior

Executive

Which of the following benefits are appealing to you when looking at new opportunities?*

Select all that apply.

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Moved out of technology (NOT HIRING MGR AND MOVED OUT OF TECH)

Moved out of technology

If you feel comfortable sharing, what was your motivation for moving out of technology?

This question is optional, please feel free to leave it blank if you would not like to share.

Are you planning to re-enter the technology industry?*

Yes

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Moved out of engineering (NOT HIRING MGR AND MOVED OUT OF ENG)

Moved out of engineering

If you feel comfortable sharing, what was your motivation for moving out of engineering?

This question is optional, please feel free to leave it blank if you would not like to share.

Are you planning to re-enter the engineering industry?*

Yes

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Workforce break (NOT HIRING MGR AND WORKFORCE BREAK TECH OR ENG)

Workforce break

If you feel comfortable sharing, what motivated your break from the workforce?

This question is optional, please feel free to leave it blank if you would not like to share.

Are you planning to re-enter the workforce?*

Yes

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Re-entering the workforce (NOT HIRING MGR AND RE-ENTERING TECH OR ENG)

How soon are you looking to re-enter the workforce?*

As soon as possible

Within the next six months

Within the next year

Within the next 2 years

Greater than 2 years

Unsure

Are you looking to upskill or retrain before re-entering the workforce?*

Yes

Unsure

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Retraining and upskilling (NOT HIRING MGR AND RE-ENTERING AND UPSKILLING)

What type of retraining/upskilling are you considering?*

Select all that apply.

Undergraduate degree

Masters degree

Short course

Graduate certificate/diploma

Online informal learning

Other

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Remote work not employed (NOT HIRING MGR AND LOOKING FOR POSITION OR RE-ENTERING WORKFORCE TECH OR ENG)

Remote work

What kind of work style would you prefer?*

Fully remote (no office available)

Remote-first (we have an office to attend if I choose)

Hybrid (in the office at least once a week)

Office-first (we are expected in the office most days with occasional remote work)

Office only

If looking for a new role, which kinds of work styles would be a deal-breaker in accepting an offer?*

Fully remote (no office available)

Remote-first (have an office to attend if I choose)

Hybrid (in the office at least once a week)

Office-first (we are expected in the office most days with occasional remote work)

Office only

I would accept an offer regardless

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The technology workforce (NOT HIRING MGR AND EMPLOYEE IN TECH)

The technology workforce

What skills and experience best describes your background?*

How many years have you been in the technology field?*

What is your current salary (excluding super and bonuses)?

Please note this question is optional, and your response will be collated anonymously for salary benchmarking.

Which classification does your work fall under?*

Contractor

Permanent full-time

Permanent part-time

Fixed term full-time

Fixed term part-time

Casual

Freelancer

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The engineering workforce (NOT HIRING MGR AND EMPLOYEE IN ENG)

The engineering workforce

What skills and experience best describes your background?*

How many years have you been in the engineering field?*

What is your current salary (excluding super and bonuses)?

Please note this question is optional, and your response will be collated anonymously for salary benchmarking.

Which classification does your work fall under?*

Contractor

Permanent full-time

Permanent part-time

Fixed term full-time

Fixed term part-time

Casual

Freelancer

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Employee remote work preferences (NOT HIRING MGR AND EMPLOYEE TECH OR ENG)

Employee remote work preferences

What kind of work style do you prefer?*

Fully remote (no office available)

Remote-first (we have an office to attend if I choose)

Hybrid (in the office at least once a week)

Office-first (we are expected in the office most days with occasional remote work)

Office only

What work style does your organisation offer?*

Fully remote (no office available)

Remote-first (we have an office to attend if I choose)

Hybrid (in the office at least once a week)

Office-first (we are expected in the office most days with occasional remote work)

Office only

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Salary and benefits (NOT HIRING MGR AND EMPLOYEE TECH OR ENG)

Salary and benefits

By how much has your salary increased in the past 12 months?*

No increase

Between 1 and 5%

Between 6 and 10%

Over 10%

By how much do you expect your salary to increase in the next 12 months?*

No increase

Between 1 and 5%

Between 6 and 10%

Over 10%

Which of the following benefits are appealing to you when considering staying at your current employer?*

Select all that apply.

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Attraction and retention (NOT HIRING MGR AND EMPLOYEE TECH OR ENG)

Attraction and retention

How long are you looking to stay with your current employer?*

If any, what would be the main motivators for you to leave a role?*

Select all that apply.

Which of the following benefits are appealing to you when looking at new opportunities?*

Select all that apply.

What are you most concerned about in your career and work life this year?*

Thinking about your ideal employer, select 5 elements below that this organisation should most definitely have:*

During the job search process, how do you typically gather information about a company?*

Select all that apply.

If looking for a new role, which kinds of work styles would be a deal-breaker in accepting an offer?*

Fully remote (no office available)

Remote-first (have an office to attend if I choose)

Hybrid (in the office at least once a week)

Office-first (we are expected in the office most days with occasional remote work)

Office only

I would accept an offer regardless

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Emerging technology skills (NOT HIRING MGR AND EMPLOYEE IN TECH)

Emerging technology skills

What do you see as the most significant challenge facing the tech industry over the next 3-5 years?*

Cybersecurity threats and attacks

Data privacy and security

Ethical implications of emerging technologies (e.g. AI, automation)

Integration of new technologies with legacy systems

Rapid pace of technological change

Regulation and compliance

Sustainability and environmental impact of technology

Talent acquisition and retention

What skills are you looking to learn in 2026/27?*

Select all that apply.

What do you believe is the primary role that artificial intelligence and machine learning will play in shaping the future of your industry?*

Automation of repetitive tasks and processes

Development of new products and services

Driving innovation in research and development

Enhancing cybersecurity and fraud detection

Enhancing human-machine collaboration

Improved data analytics and decision-making

Improving operational efficiency

Personalised customer experiences

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Energy transition & engineering (NOT HIRING MGR AND EMPLOYEE IN ENG)

Energy transition & engineering

Is your organisation currently involved in or planning involvement in renewable energy projects?*

Yes, actively

Planning within 12 months

Exploring projects

Not applicable

Which renewable energy areas are you most actively hiring for?*

Select all that apply.

Solar

Wind

Battery Storage

Grid modernisation

Hydrogen

Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure

None

Other

What do you believe is the biggest workforce challenge in the energy transition?*

Finding qualified candidates

Reskilling existing staff

Competitive salaries

Regulatory uncertainty

Project Timelines

Remote location

Other

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Skills & compliance changes (NOT HIRING MGR AND EMPLOYEE IN ENG)

Skills & compliance changes

Have budget constraints at your organisation directly affected your role in the past 12 months?*

Select all that apply.

Increased workload without additional resources

Salary freeze or below-inflation increase

Reduced training & development opportunities

Delayed promotions

Team restructure or redundancies around me

Being asked to cover responsibilities outside my role

No noticeable impact

Which new technology skills are you most interested in developing?*

Select up to 3.

Do you believe your current technology skills will remain relevant in 5 years without further development?*

Yes, my skills are future-proof

Mostly, but I’ll need to add some new capabilities

No — my field is changing rapidly and I need to upskill

No — I’m already feeling the shift

How much of your working time is spent on compliance, documentation, and regulatory requirements (vs productive engineering work)?*

Less than 10%

10–25%

25–40%

40–60%

More than 60%

Have you pursued or considered pursuing specialist compliance qualifications or certifications (e.g., Lead Auditor, Certified Environmental Practitioner, RPEQ, Chartered status)?*

Yes, I hold relevant certifications

Currently pursuing

Interested but employer doesn’t support it

Interested but can’t afford it myself

Not interested

Didn’t know these existed

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Technology hiring managers insight (HIRING MGR TECH)

Technology hiring managers insight

In the past 12 months, how have the permanent staffing levels of your technology team changed?*

Increased

Decreased

Remained the same

In the next 12 months, how do you expect the permanent staffing levels of your technology team to change?*

Increase

Decrease

Remain the same

In the past 12 months, how have the temporary or contract staffing levels of your technology team changed?*

Increased

Decreased

Remained the same

In the next 12 months, how do you expect the temporary or contract staffing levels of your technology team to change?*

Increase

Decrease

Remain the same

If you’ve experienced turnover in your technology team in the last 12 months, what has been the cause?*

Select all that apply.

Technology skills for the future

What kinds of technology roles do you envisage you'll need to hire in the next 12 months?*

Select all that apply.

What technology skills are you looking to hire for in the next 12 months?*

Select all that apply.

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Engineering hiring managers insight (HIRING MGR ENG)

Engineering hiring managers insight

In the past 12 months, how have the permanent staffing levels of your engineering team changed?*

Increased

Decreased

Remained the same

In the next 12 months, how do you expect the permanent staffing levels of your engineering team to change?*

Increase

Decrease

Remain the same

In the past 12 months, how have the temporary or contract staffing levels of your engineering team changed?*

Increased

Decreased

Remained the same

In the next 12 months, how do you expect the temporary or contract staffing levels of your engineering team to change?*

Increase

Decrease

Remain the same

If you’ve experienced turnover in your engineering team in the last 12 months, what has been the cause?*

Select all that apply.

How have project budget pressures changed for your organisation in the past 12 months?*

Significantly worsened

Somewhat worsened

No change

Somewhat improved

Significantly improved

Which cost pressures are having the greatest impact on your engineering projects right now?*

Select top 3.

Materials cost escalation

Labour cost increases

Subcontractor pricing

Compliance & regulatory costs

Insurance & risk pricing

Equipment & technology costs

Energy costs

Logistics & supply chain

Project delays pushing up overheads

How has cost pressure directly affected your hiring decisions in the past 12 months?*

Select all that apply.

Delayed filling approved roles

Reduced headcount

Converted permanent roles to contract

Frozen salaries

Reduced training & development budgets

Hired less experienced candidates at lower salaries

Increased use of offshore or remote resources

Restructured teams to do more with fewer people

No impact on hiring

What strategies is your organisation using to manage cost pressures while maintaining project delivery?*

Select all that apply.

Engineering skills for the future

Have you recruited professionals transitioning from traditional energy/mining into renewable energy roles?*

How do you expect the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) and other infrastructure projects to impact your hiring over the next 2-3 years?*

Major increase

Moderate increase

No change

Decrease

Unsure

Which technologies have had the most significant impact on your engineering operations in the past 12 months?*

Select top3.

What is the biggest barrier to adopting new technology in your engineering operations?*

Cost of implementation

Lack of skilled staff to use it

Integration with existing systems

Client or project requirements don’t demand it

Resistance to change within the team

Regulatory uncertainty about new methods

ROI is unclear

We don’t know what’s available

Which technology-related skills are hardest to recruit for right now?*

Select up to 3.

How has the compliance and regulatory burden on your engineering operations changed in the past 12 months?*

Significantly increased

Somewhat increased

No change

Somewhat decreased

Significantly decreased

Which compliance and regulatory areas are creating the most challenge for your organisation right now?*

Select top 3.

Has the need for compliance expertise directly influenced your hiring in the past 12 months?*

Select all that apply.

Hired dedicated compliance or quality roles

Added compliance responsibilities to existing engineering roles

Engaged external consultants for regulatory advice

Upskilled existing staff on new standards

Delayed projects waiting for regulatory clarity

Turned down projects due to compliance complexity

No change to hiring

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Competitive hiring strategies (HIRING MGR TECH OR ENG)

Competitive hiring strategies

By how much have your team's salaries increased in the past 12 months?*

No increase

Between 1 and 5%

Between 6 and 10%

Over 10%

How are your team's salaries likely to increase in the next 12 months?*

No increase

Between 1 and 5%

Between 6 and 10%

Over 10%

What benefits does your company provide to attract and retain talent?*

Select all that apply.

What actions has your company taken to enhance diversity in its talent attraction and retention strategies?*

Select all that apply.

What are some of the challenges you envisage your organisation facing in the next 12 months?*

Select all that apply.